Printing superimposed layers

Abstract

An apparatus and method for making a panel with superimposed layers of marking material in substantially exact registration is provided. An assembly includes a stencil layer sandwiched between a substrate and a transparent coating. The stencil includes a release surface. The coating tends to secure the stencil layer to the substrate, e.g., for storage and/or transport, and may protect the stencil layer from marking materials that might otherwise penetrate the stencil layer. A design and background layers are then printed onto the coating. A force is then applied to remove the background layer, design layer, and coating that are disposed on the stencil layer, leaving the remainder of the background layer, design layer, and coating adhered to the substrate in substantially exact registration within portions of the substrate that are devoid of the stencil layer. The design layer is right-reading visible through the substrates.

1 . An assembly comprising:
 a substantially imperforate substrate;   a transparent coating; and   a stencil layer that includes a release surface disposed between the substrate and the coating,   wherein a cross-section through said assembly comprises said substrate having two outer edges, said coating having two outer edges and a plurality of alternate stencil layer portions and portions devoid of the stencil layer, each stencil layer portion having two outer edges, said coating being located on the surface of said stencil layer remote from said substrate and being firmly adhered to said substrate within each of said plurality of portions devoid of said stencil layer.   
   
   
       2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is transparent. 
   
   
       3 . The assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising a design layer printed reverse-reading onto the assembly on a side of the coating remote from the substrate, the design layer being right-reading visible through the substrate. 
   
   
       4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the assembly is rolled into a roll. 
   
   
       5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the assembly comprises a cut sheet. 
   
   
       6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the coating is continuous and bridges each boundary between the stencil layer and the substrate disposed within said plurality of portions devoid of said stencil layer. 
   
   
       7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the release surface is disposed on a substrate side of the stencil layer. 
   
   
       8 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the release surface is disposed on a coating side of the stencil layer. 
   
   
       9 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises two layers, a first layer of which adheres the stencil layer to the substrate, a second layer of which provides a print-receptive surface, the second layer being disposed on a side of the first layer remote from the substrate, the first and second layers comprising different materials. 
   
   
       10 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the coating further comprises a third layer that is substantially impervious to solvent-based inks, the third layer being disposed on the side of the first layer remote from the substrate, the third layer comprising a material that is different than the first and second layers of the coating. 
   
   
       11 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the stencil is transparent. 
   
   
       12 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the stencil is optically transparent. 
   
   
       13 . The assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the stencil is water clear. 
   
   
       14 . A method of making a design on an assembly, the assembly comprising
 a substantially imperforate substrate;   a transparent coating; and   a stencil layer that includes a release surface disposed between the substrate and the coating,   wherein a cross-section through said assembly comprises said substrate having two outer edges, said coating having two outer edges and a plurality of alternate stencil layer portions and portions devoid of the stencil layer, each stencil layer portion having two outer edges, said coating being located on the surface of said stencil layer remote from said substrate and being firmly adhered to said substrate within each of said plurality of portions devoid of said stencil layer,   the method comprising:   printing a plurality of layers of marking material onto the assembly on a side of the coating remote from the substrate, the plurality of layers comprising a design layer and a background color layer, the design layer being applied reverse-reading, the design layer being right-reading visible through the substrate.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising, prior to printing the plurality of layers of marking material onto the assembly, transporting the assembly from a first geographic location to second geographic location disposed at least a mile away from the first geographic location. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 prior to transporting the assembly from the first geographic location to the second geographic location, rolling the assembly into a roll; and   before printing the plurality of layers of marking material onto the assembly, unrolling the rolled assembly.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the assembly is rolled into a roll, and wherein the method further comprises unrolling the assembly prior to printing the plurality of layers of marking material onto the assembly. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 applying a force to said plurality of layers of marking material, said force substantially removing said coating and said plurality of layers of marking material disposed on said stencil layer, leaving said coating and said plurality of layers of marking material adhered to said substrate in substantially exact registration within the edges of said plurality of portions devoid of said stencil layer.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of layers of marking material comprise marking materials that would penetrate the stencil layer if printed directly onto the stencil layer. 
   
   
       20 . A method of making a design on an assembly,
 the assembly comprising
 a substantially imperforate substrate; 
 a transparent coating; and 
 a stencil layer that includes a release surface disposed between the substrate and the coating, 
 wherein a cross-section through said assembly comprises said substrate having two outer edges, said coating having two outer edges and a plurality of alternate stencil layer portions and portions devoid of the stencil layer, each stencil layer portion having two outer edges, said coating being located on the surface of said stencil layer remote from said substrate and being firmly adhered to said substrate within each of said plurality of portions devoid of said stencil layer, 
   the method comprising:   printing a plurality of layers of marking material onto the assembly on a side of the coating remote from the substrate, the plurality of layers comprising a design layer and a background color layer, the design layer being disposed between the background color layer and the substrate, the design layer being visible through the substrate.